Colourful eulogies and sweeties flew over the coffins of CPI leader A B Bardhan and Jammu & Kashmir leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Very sweet messages also came from the bitter rivals of the departed leaders who (the former) would explore by all means in the blood-baying game. One may call this sweet-mouthing over the demise of one’s rival as a way of maintaining civil decorum but doing so after you had put all out efforts for character or even physical assassination of your rival would mean diluting the practice of civility.
Well, why do we love to shower rich eulogies and obituaries rather than choosing to accord the person with sweet talk when they are alive?
The world would have been much better place had we allowed ourselves to make an effort to separate what is hypocrisy and what is not. The blurred line needs to be traced once again for distinction. The idea is to humanize humans for a simpler and progressive world.
Meanwhile, isn’t it a good idea for all of us to start locating those unsung heroes who had in their prime time contributed/rendered commendable services to our society? We have so many leaders in seclusion compelled by situations today. Our society will be failing its duty if eulogies and condolences are the only items to offer.
However, things are apt to be aroused because the accolades and attentions one deserved were missing when one was with us. Unless a person has chosen to take the path of solitude or social hibernation leaders who had done enough for society should be given an appropriate platform and needed attention when ‘they are alive’. But we often succumb to the line—it is human to be ungenerous when things matter a lot and vice versa.
This is the trend practiced even in our Naga society.
People loaded with high-octane elements should be shown generosity if we really are for social cause. But on most counts we find it very hard to recognize (intentionally) a scintillating and coruscating item, thanks to our ungenerous nature.